Boarded by Love
Page 18

 Toni Aleo

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When I pull away, it’s only to catch my breath, and I refuse to give her any space to breathe or decide this is a bad idea. “Let me take you to dinner.”
Her eyes dance with lust and everything naughty. I’ve never been so turned on in my life. When her lips part to speak, I can’t take it and crash my lips to her again. Pushing her against the wall, I press my body into hers, and I know that I should take it easy, but I can’t. I need her. I can feel her heart beating in her chest, and I know it matches the fast beat of mine. Pulling back once more, I open my eyes, meeting her sweet, blue gaze.
“Say yes,” I demand, moving my thumb along her jaw.
She shakes her head. “Why don’t I just let you take me to bed?”
Oh sweet God, say yes, say yes, you dumb lug. Don’t get lost in those eyes; say yes, and fuck her brains out.
But for some crazy, fucked-up reason, I can’t listen to my dick. I shake my head slowly. “My momma brought me up to wine and dine a lady first.”
Her mouth pulls up at the side as she slowly nods. “Maybe I’m no lady.”
“See, that’s where you’re wrong, Claire. You are a lady. The only lady who has my full attention. I’m not sure what I’m doing, or even who I am right now, but I want to do right by you. And if after dinner, you still want to take me to bed, believe me, I will not stop you.”
Her brows crowd in but then she’s fully smiling at me, and soon my mouth curves into a matching grin. “Why is it every time I see you, you surprise me?”
Leaning my forehead against hers, I move my nose slowly along hers, my lips teasing hers before I whisper, “Because I’m trouble.”
Trouble indeed, but it didn’t matter. He’s pushing and pulling me straight to him, and I’m sure he isn’t going to let me go. Not that I want him to. There is something about him that has me completely and utterly drawn to him, no pulling needed. While I want to sleep with him, I also want to get to know him. Really, I have no clue what I want. I just want Jude. All of him and I’m glad he turned down my offer to go to bed. While I want it, I don’t think I would have gone through with it, but then with the way he’s looking at me, his hooded green eyes flaring with lust, I’m thinking that previous statement was a total lie.
I damn well want him more than my next breath.
Swallowing hard, I suck in a breath as he runs his lips along mine in a very sexy, slow way. He isn’t kissing me, his lips are only grazing mine, teasing me in such a hypnotic manner. I want so much more, but I like this game. I love the teasing. Nipping at his bottom lip, my teeth sink into it and his minty breath comes out in a gust against my mouth. Releasing his lip, I take his mouth with mine, moving my tongue along his as his hands fall from my face to my hips, holding me tight in his large hands. Pulling away, only a breath, I look into his eyes as my mouth pulls up at the side.
“If we keep on, dinner will not happen.”
“I’m reconsidering my earlier proposition.”
I smile fully as I run my nose along his. “You want me?”
He groans softly against my lips as he nods his head, his nose moving along mine. We’re basically one, we’re so close, and I don’t think I ever want him to go anywhere else. The air around us is sizzling, and I find myself fighting for my next breath.
“I want you so bad I can’t see straight.”
I smile, loving that I’m affecting him the same way he’s affecting me. Fuck it, I can’t take this. I’ve been good too long. It’s time to go back to my naughty side, and if for some crazy reason – because I know darn well Jude doesn’t want anything more from this – he comes to think he does, then we’ll cross that bridge at that point, but now…now I want to ride him like a horse and never look back.
“Let’s go back to my dorm.”
I can see the struggle in his eyes. He wants to be a gentleman and that pleases me. I know he hasn’t ever treated a girl like that. He uses them and lets them go. I’ve heard the rumors and seen the way girls act around him, but with me…I affect him differently. I’ve never felt so powerful in my life, and it’s my job to make guys hard with lust, but with Jude, it’s a whole new ball game. His eyes have yet to leave mine, his hands haven’t left my body since he started touching me, and I just feel so amazing under his gaze. I’ve never wanted to completely please a guy, but I’m shaking to please Jude.
His lips move, but nothing comes out, and I take that as a go. Reaching for his hand, I lace my fingers with his and pull out my phone to see that Reese texted me.
He’s hot. Bring him to the wedding. I’ll tell Phillip to be on his best behavior. I promise.
Ignoring her message, I text Skylar.
Vacate now. Need room.
She replies with a 10-4 good buddy, and I know I’m solid. I know later I’ll have to explain what happened, but now I get to enjoy Jude with no interruptions, and my body shakes in anticipation. Looking over at him, a grin sits on his plump lips, and damn it, I don’t know if I’m gonna make it to the room. Stopping, I wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him deeply as his fingers come up under my sweatshirt, massaging my lower back as we kiss. Everything is on fire and I can’t believe these feelings. It’s deep in my stomach, tightening and scaring the shit out of me, but I don’t care. For the first time in years, I actually feel something for the opposite sex. While before it was only to get off, to make myself feel alive, or to piss someone off, now – while I would love to get off too, and by the look in Jude’s eyes, I know I will – I also want to enjoy him, and I want to please him.
I respect him.
Lacing my fingers with his, he looks deep in my eyes as his mouth curves in one of those devilish grins. “We can go get dinner, Claire, just say the word. I hope you don’t, though.”
“I’m not going to. Come on,” I say before dragging him across the quad. I feel people looking at us but I ignore them. When I glance over at him, his eyes are on me, ignoring everyone too, and it’s so elating. When my building comes into view, I almost squeal in delight before pulling him up the four flights of stairs to my dorm.
Throwing open the door, I go through, reaching for the hem of my sweatshirt before pulling it over my head and tossing it to the side. When I turn, Jude kicks the door shut and locks it before taking me in his arms, his mouth meeting mine in a magnetic kind of way. I get lost in the kiss, my head cloudy with lust as I press my chest against his. When his hands go to my hips and quickly lift me, I automatically wrap my legs around his trim waist before he turns, pressing me hard into the door.